US3670623A

US3670623A - Ammunition container for aircraft

Info

Publication number: US3670623A
Application number: US51425A
Authority: US
Inventors: William Kuyper
Original assignee: US Department of Navy
Current assignee: US Department of Navy
Priority date: 1970-07-01
Filing date: 1970-07-01
Publication date: 1972-06-20
Anticipated expiration: 1989-06-20

Abstract

An ammunition box for an aircraft having a first container adaptable to be removably attached to an aircraft and having a second container adaptable for attaching to said first container. The first container has an opening in its bottom and said second container has an opening in its end thereby providing access to ammunition belts within said containers for linking an ammunition belt in said second container with an ammunition belt in said first container.

Description

United States Patent Kuyper 1 June 20, 1972 54] AMMUNITION CONTAINER FOR 3,185,035 5/1965 Gregory-Humphries ..206/3 x AIRCRAFT 2,382,715 8/1945 1,845,508 2/1932 [72] lnventor: William Kuyper, Westrmmster, Calif. 2,459,934 1/1949 [73] Assignee: The United States of America as 2696143 12/1954 represented by the Secretary of the Navy I Primary Examiner-Stephen C. Bentley [22] Flledi J y 1970 Attorney-R. S. Sciascia, H. H. Losche and Paul S. Collignon [2]] App]. No.: 51,425 ABSTRACT An ammunition box for an aircraft having 11 first container US. Cl. ..89/34, adaptable to be removably attached to an aircmfl and having a [58] Field Search 4 37 SR second container adaptable for attaching to said first con- 89l3 5 6 tainer. The first container has an opening in its bottom and said second container has an opening in its end thereby providing access to ammunition belts within said containers [56] References Cited for linking an ammunition belt in said second container with UNITED STATES PATENTS an ammunition belt in said first container.

2,889,751 6/1959 Bilek ..89/34 1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures P'A'TENTEDJum I972 SHEET 10F 2 INVENTOR. WILL/AM KUYPER FIG. 4

AT ORNEYS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an ammunition container suitable for loading into an aircraft for providing ammunition for machine guns fixedly attached to the aircraft.

Ammunition containers which are separate from a weapon are in general use by the military. These ammunition containers which carry ammunition which is either belted or linked together serve various purposes. For one thing, ammunition containers provide a convenient way to carry ammunition and also serve to keep the ammunition clean. Also these containers keep the ammunition in alignment, thus preventing any kinks or twists that would cause a malfunction in feeding a weapon.

Various types of ammunition containers are presently available for feeding military weapons, such as machine guns. For example, in US. Pat. No. 2,470,475, which issued May 17, 1949, to Cecil Diaper, there is shown an ammunition box having a plurality of shelves which are hinged so that the shelves can be folded against the walls after the layer of ammunition thereon has been withdrawn.

The development of rapid-fire weapons, and the desire for greater fire power, has dictated that as much ammunition as possible be provided for a military aircraft. There are, however, two limiting factors for designing ammunition containers. The first consideration is weight, and as ammunition containers are normally manually loaded into aircraft, the total weight of the box and ammunition should be such that it can be lifted by one individual. The overall size of the box is also controlling, as an opening must be provided in a wing or fuselage for loading, and these openings cannot be so large as to affect the structure of the aircraft.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an ammunition box that is comprised of first and second containers. A first container is adaptable for attaching to an aircraft and a second container is designed to attach to the first container. Openings are provided in the bottom of the first container and the end of the second container so that access is provided to permit attaching a belt of ammunition in the second container with a belt of ammunition in the first container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a diagrammatic view showing an arrangement of ammunition containers being loaded into an aircraft;

FIG. 2 is a side view, partly in section, showing one container attached to another container;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings; and

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing arrangement of the layers of ammunition in two containers.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprised of an upper container 11 and a lower container 12. A pair of

support lugs

13 and 14 are provided on the discharge end of container 11 and also a pair of

support lugs

15 and 16 are provided on the other end of container 11. By way of example,

lugs

13 and 14 might be made integral on a bracket 17 and

lugs

15 and 16 might be made integral on a bracket 18. Each support lug is provided with a hole 19 with which pins on the aircraft engage to support container 11 in the aircraft, as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings. Holes 19 in

brackets

13 and 14 are elongated to better facilitate the mounting of container 11 and to allow for manufacturing tolerances. Containers l1 and 12 are provided with hinged

covers

21 and 22, respectively, to keep dirt and debris from entering therein.

A pair of rollers 23 and 24 are provided on

shafts

25 and 26,

respectively, in container 1 l, to facilitate movement of ammunition 27 as it IS nthdrawn from container 11. A pair of

hanger brackets

28 and 29 are attached to the sides of lower container 12 and each bracket 28 and 2Q is provided with a notch 31 which is engageable with shaft 26. As best shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings, a spring-biased latch pin 32 is slidably positioned in latch 33 which is attached to the top of lower container 12. Latch pin 32 is engageable in a hole in lug 34, which might be made integral with bracket 18. A release cord 35 is attached to one end of latch pin 32 to facilitate engagement of pin 32 through the hole in lug 34.

OPERATION In operation, upper container 11 having belted or linked ammunition therein is first loaded into an aircraft and retained therein by pins which engage holes 19 in support lugs 13 to 16, inclusive. Next, as best shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings, container 12 is loaded and notches 31 in

brackets

28 and 29 are engaged with shaft 26. Release cord 35 is then pulled, which withdraws latch pin 32 to clear notch 36 in latch 33. Container 12 is then raised so that lug 34 extends into notch 36 and, upon release of cord 35, latch pin 32 passes through the hole in lug 34 to secure lower container 12 to upper container 11. As best shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings, openings in the side of container 12 and in the bottom of container 11 permits ammunition belt 37 in container 12 to be linked, or otherwise connected, with ammunition belt 38 in container 12 whereby the two ammunition belts then become, and function, as a single belt.

I claim:

1. A device for holding belted ammunition to be fired by an aircraft mounted machine gun comprising,

a first ammunition container having a top, bottom, parallel sides and first and second end portions, and openings in said first end portion and said bottom for allowing passage of ammunition during firing of an aircraft mounted machine gun,

first and second parallel shafts stationarily attached to said parallel sides of said first ammunition container adjacent said first end portion, said first parallel shaft being positioned adjacent said top and said second parallel shaft being positioned adjacent said bottom,

first and second rollers rotatably mounted on said first and second parallel shafts, respectively, for facilitating movement of ammunition through said openings,

a latching lug attached to said second end portion,

a second ammunition container having a top, bottom, parallel sides and first and second end portions, and openings in said first end portion and said top of said second ammunition container for allowing passage of ammunition from said second ammunition container into said first ammunition container,

a pair of notched hanger brackets attached one each to the parallel sides of said second ammunition container adjacent said first end portion, each hanger having a notch for engaging said second parallel shaft for supporting a first end of said second ammunition container,

a latch attached to the top of said second ammunition container adjacent said second end portion, and

a latch pin slidably mounted in said latch and engageable with said latching lug for supporting a second end of said second ammunition container.

Claims

1. A device for holding belted ammunition to be fired by an aircraft mounted machine gun comprising, a first ammunition container having a top, bottom, parallel sides and first and second end portions, and openings in said first end portion and said bottom for allowing passage of ammunition during firing of an aircraft mounted machine gun, first and second parallel shafts stationarily attached to said parallel sides of said first ammunition container adjacent said first end portion, said first parallel shaft being positioned adjacent said top and said second parallel shaft being positioned adjacent said bottom, first and second rollers rotatably mounted on said first and second parallel shafts, respectively, for facilitating movement of ammunition through said openings, a latching lug attached to said second end portion, a second ammunition container having a top, bottom, parallel sides and first and second end portions, and openings in said first end portion and said top of said second ammunition container for allowing passage of ammunition from said second ammunition container into said first ammunition container, a pair of notched hanger brackets attached one each to the parallel sides of said second ammunition container adjacent said first end portion, each hanger having a notch for engaging said second parallel shaft for supporting a first end of said second ammunition container, a latch attached to the top of said second ammunition container adjacent said second end portion, and a latch pin slidably mOunted in said latch and engageable with said latching lug for supporting a second end of said second ammunition container.